Story time! Tell the tale of your best sub-level 5 adventure! Spare no details!
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I'm not sure what you want in this thread, but I had fun running "The Root of All Evil" in PFRPG and writing about the experience here.
But the thread title suggests to me that you want to know which low-level modules are best. I feel that when it comes to introducing new players to the hobby, you can't beat "The Sunless Citadel". The last time I ran it in PFRPG, I mentioned it here.
If you simply want to know about some of the best low-level modules, there's this thread.
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I love low-level gaming! Give me a party of 1st level noobs and I'll give you an excellent adventure.
One I ran a little while ago was the start to a new campaign. The game opened with each PC receiving a letter directing them to the library of a college each attends. They meet one another there for the first time and realize that their letters combined reveal a riddle. This leads them to a book on an ancient hero - the only section missing is where said hero is buried. They go looking for the professor that will know the answer and he's mysteriously disappeared.
The PCs use some skills, gather some info and find the tomb. There they find clues suggesting a recent struggle; they also find their professor's pipe. What followed was a five-room dungeon of all non-lethal traps, summoned monsters and my fave: the flood chase
At one point the PCs find a secret door concealing a dungeon level below the mausoleum. They enter a vast, winding staircase heading down into a massive vault. The chamber below is ruined and partially flooded. At the top of the stairs is a giant monster mouth on the wall. The PCs sense a cool breeze and smell the ocean far below. Suddenly a swarm of bats comes out; it's not attacking them but rather it's fleeing from a surge of sea-water from below. The chase scene begins!
PCs must get to the bottom at the head of the wall of water. The stairs have three balcony levels. Everywhere there's debris and detritus the PCs must avoid on their way down. If they make the flooded hall before the water hits them from behind they take no damage. If they get caught they take damage and risk drowning.
One PC hid on a balcony. Water broke off from the main flood and infiltrated cracks and holes in the wall, only to come shooting out of the wall at the PC like a Hydraulic Push spell. Three other PCs went down the stairs. One made it only a single level; the next got close to the end but was tripped up near the bottom and took enough damage to be knocked unconscious. The final PC (the only one with healing) got to the bottom and dove onto a side ledge while the wall of water (carrying his friends) passed him. He fished the other three PCs out of the drink and got them back on their feet.
In the end they found the hero's personal tomb. He was famous for his shield and they found it along with his body in a wood sarcophagus. This was atop a pedestal in another flooded chamber. As soon as they touched the shield the chameber sealed and the water started rising. the PCs all got in the sarcophagus and floated on the rising water to the top of the tomb where they found an escape hatch with no wheel. The shield had to be affixed and used as the wheel. Once free they were back outside and there was their professor.
He asked them for the shield and they grudgingly agreed. He took the device and smashed it to pieces; it was a fake. This was all a graduation test to see if they had not only the skills to be adventurers but the moral fiber to give up the historic pieces for preservation instead of personal gain. The game ended with the professor admitting them to a waiting carriage, chatting with them about the ceremony and... WHAM! The carriage is hit by boulders and all the PCs take enough damage to knock them unconscious.
They came to and found the professor had been murdered. A chest containing "important documents" had been stolen. The rest of the game was going to involve the PCs going on smaller missions while solving the murder mystery as the first larger arc of the plot. Unfortunately it never really got going.
Neat! That's kind of what I was looking for, Mark. Just some anecdote's to hear about low-level play! Not looking for modules or anything, just really like to read about people's stories :)
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I love low level. When I have a few minutes' spare time I love designing NPCs, encounters or items specifically geared at PF gaming between level 1-6. I think this is because RL conspires to keep my campaigns in these levels. Due to scheduling conflicts, personality clashes and folks moving I haven't gotten higher than 6th level in a decade!
Anyway I hope this thread catches on. I love seeing what people can accomplish at low levels.
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I had a great game in AD&D.
The party was level 2 or 3 when I was invited to join. I started at level 1 with my Dwarf Fighter but I got better equip than normal for 1st, like dwarven fullplate, and I rolled fantastic having a starting strength of 18/85 a starting con of 19 and dex just high enough to gain a bonus (16 or what it was back then).
On my way to the little village where I was to meat the party including my hero, a paladin, I came across a once peaceful place where the local halflings were being terrorized by a hill giant.
The giant sat in the middle of the town square and ate all the halflings food.
Knowing that I had no chance to beat him at full power I crept up behind him and took away his club. He was busy yelling and threatening that he would eat the halflings if they don't bring him more.
After having silently disarmed him I went in front of him and challenged him. "Leave this place or I, the mighty Baltor of Belfarain, will slay you with this axe of my forefathers that has already drunken lots of giant blood."
He was not intimidated and reached for his club which wasn't there. I took that as a hostile action and attacked. In the end my level 1 fighter defeated the unarmed hill giant with the help of a squad of Halfling slingers.
Because of my good AC (dwarven fullplate + shield + dex bonus + dwarven bonus vs giants) he only hit me once, nearly dropping me.
After that I was the halfing town's hero and really felt ready to accompany my own hero on his quest for good.
I love low level. When I have a few minutes' spare time I love designing NPCs, encounters or items specifically geared at PF gaming between level 1-6. I think this is because RL conspires to keep my campaigns in these levels. Due to scheduling conflicts, personality clashes and folks moving I haven't gotten higher than 6th level in a decade!
Anyway I hope this thread catches on. I love seeing what people can accomplish at low levels.
So start the game at 6th level!